Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Class Notes 11/28

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving break.  We are continuing the units that we started before break, and finishing up a few others.  The students will have a final assessment on invertebrates on Thursday.  They have already been given a study guide, and we started reviewing the material last week.  We finished our unit on multiplication this week and starting the unit on division.  I cannot emphasize how important (and crucial to success) that your child have the basic multiplication facts memorized.  Please remember that your child is also working on a biography assignment.  These assignments are due Monday, Dec. 5th and additional assignments are due Monday, Dec. 12th.  I have given the students approx. one hour every day to read the biographies and to research their famous person.  However, your child should also be doing the assignments at home. Please check on how your child is doing.  Some students have trouble with time management and meeting deadlines.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Class Notes 11/14/16

Thank you to all the parents and families that came to Parent Teacher conferences last week.  I am so grateful for all your support and positive comments.  It has been a very rewarding first quarter teaching your children.

We organized our binders this week, so students either recycled or took home all their Geometry papers and Astronomy papers.  We have already started new units in Math and Science:  Multiplication and Invertebrates.  We are finishing our science fiction novels in our reading groups and starting a biography novel assignment. 

The culmination of the astronomy unit is our field trip to OMSI this Thursday.  Please remember that your child needs a sack lunch and drink for lunch.  We will be walking quite a bit to OMSI so make sure your child is wearing appropriate clothing and shoes for the weather and walk.  Please make sure your child is to school on time! We will leave at 9:45 am.  We will be viewing a show at the planetarium, experience the exhibit "Journey to Space", and viewing OMNIMAX.  It will be a full day! Thanks to the parents that have volunteered to be our chaperones.  If you have not paid for this field trip, the TriMet and OMSI cost is $16 per person.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Classroom Notes--It's November Already!

Thanks to the parents and families who contributed food and drinks to our Monday afternoon party.  We graphed a pumpkin using ordered pairs, guessed the weight of a small pumpkin, observed a live earthworm (segmented worms), and listened to part of Orson Welles Oct. 30, 1938 radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds".  It was a fun start to the week.

Some of the students shared their imaginative writing this week.  Some of the students took a Geometry test.  Our next unit will be multiplication and number theory.  We still have a couple weeks with our free trial on ixl.com.  Please encourage your child to review concepts at home that we have studied in school.

I sent home your conference day and time reminder last Friday. If you are unable to make that conference appointment, please call the school asap so we can arrange another time for you.  Otherwise, I will see you next Wed or Thurs.